European Heritage Days: Celebrating Diversity

The European Heritage Days are participatory cultural events throughout Europe. The Council of Europe launched this initiative in 1985. In 1999 the joint action between the European Union and the Council of Europe was created with a slogan “Europe, a common heritage”.

The European Heritage Days are held in September each year in 50 countries that are signatories of the European Cultural Convention. During these days, numerous monuments and sites open their doors to allow citizens to enjoy visits and learn about their cultural backgrounds and traditions. This action aims to encourage citizens to get actively involved in safeguarding and enhancing of their culture for future generations. Moreover, the European Heritage Days raise awareness about the richness and cultural diversity of Europe, and promote greater tolerance beyond the national borders of the Member States.

In order to integrate all national and regional events under the EU flag, several principles related to the European Heritage Days were defined in 1991. Three of them are listed below (for the complete list visit the portal of the European Heritage Days)

They allow the general public to visit monuments and sites all over Europe that are usually closed to public,

The buildings that are open all year round can contribute to the programme, providing that they offer special activities,

The visits should be free of charge or offered at a reduced price;

The theme of the European Heritage Days 2016 will focus on ‘Heritage and Communities’.